Mammogram Clear!

I am so happy today...received the all clear from the radiologist today!!! The nice thing about having a diagnostic mammogram you get the results immediately. I will now be on a yearly schedule for a regular mammogram.

Dancing around the house!

Cherry Pit Pad

The attached photo is for my lymphedema friends to check out.

For cherry pit pads you want to insert in gloves, bras etc. a single layer of cherry pits works wonders.

Happy New Year!

Life is looking good in 2010! Eddy and I spent our anniversary with our friends, Mark and Deb, this year and had a fantastic time. Played pool, ate, drank, slept and watched movies from Thursday evening to Sunday morning....it was wonderful! Life has been so hectic for us over the last several months, it was really nice to relax.

Sushi tonight with friends!

Creative Healing Retreat for Breast Cancer Survivors

View from the room I shared with Betty, a fellow breast cancer survivor. The retreat was at the Inn at Morro Bay...well in Morro Bay! I was so excited to get the weekend started I left a little too early and ended up arriving about 4 pm (an hour early). I was able to check in and get myself organized.

I met Betty and right away we hit it off. After the meet and greet in the room, Betty and I headed to the lobby since we discovered I did not have any of the necessary information about the weekend (because I arrived too early!).

Once we had my paperwork sorted out, the entire group (18 of us) headed in for a delicious dinner. I am going to try recreating the Israeli Couscous salad that was served in the near future, it was that good. After dinner we had circle time, which gave each of us time to tell "our story". As each person was telling their story, I kept trying to figure out what I was going to say but by the time it came to me I know I forgot some of it. From listening to the women in the circle, I can say that our collective experiences were similar but also very different. There were those that had cancer years ago, "newbies" to cancer, young and old, big and small....a very diverse group of breast cancer survivors. Three stories that touched me and made me reach for my tissue....Missy who lost her husband three weeks after completing radiation, Renee who was given 24 months to live and Amanda who is in the middle of chemo.

When circle time was over, Betty and I headed back to the room to get ready for bed. We sat up and talked for a while but eventually couldn't keep our eyes open. Good thing we both are early risers so we could make it to yoga on Saturday morning. Note: I plan on continuing with the yoga and hope to find a class in Campbell so I can go at lunch or after work easily.

Following yoga was breakfast then off to collaging. OOOOOh, I had so much fun cutting and gluing in my new journal! There were boxes of magazines to use for our collages and I kept finding the greatest stuff, so I am still working on my project at home until it is just right.

For lunch we walked to the Bayside Cafe and could order whatever we wanted! You could even have dessert first, because we can do that as adults!!! I decided to have lunch first and share a huge piece of carrot cake with Kim.

In the afternoon there were exhibits from local groups for us. We could have a free color consultation (I am an autumn just in case you wanted to know), reiki, talk with a lymphedema therapist, join a breast cancer survivor paddle team and talk to the local cancer center. After the exhibits there was so free time before dinner so I worked on my collage a bit more in the hotel room then headed off to dinner.

Dinner was another delicious meal spent with a great group of women. After dinner we headed over for drumming, which was not one of my best experiences. I can't seem to drum in time with everyone else and it made for some comedy. There was a lot of laughing and hot flashes for me.....stress seems to trigger hot flashes....well, hell pretty much everything causes hot flashes! There was a band playing back at the hotel so we hit the bar for a nightcap....I made it to at least 10:30!!!!

Sunday was more yoga, breakfast, collaging and the closing of our weekend retreat. I cried...in fact, I cried several times on Sunday. Coming home I felt so high on life and nurtured....it was such a fantastic feeling. I realized, yet again, how important it is to take time out for me and the things that make me happy.

Follow the link to the EnhancementInc.org website....they are taking applications for the next retreat in April....well worth it. Dianne D if you are reading this blog....please, please apply. Shoosh, Rosalie, Joanne, Marisa and Leslyn all made the weekend something I will never, never forget....THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
Cheryl
http://www.enhancementinc.org/creative_healing_retreat_info.htm

Excited

Oh, I am leaving tomorrow at noon for my two and half day breast cancer retreat in Morro Bay and I couldn't be more excited! It feels like Christmas in October! Can hardly wait to dive right into the healing process and have some fun while doing it.

My plan is to take the scenic drive down High 1 and enjoy the road trip. Mapquest says 3 hrs 3o minutes for the scenic route and two hours and 49 minutes for the 101. Does scenic just sound more fun?

Gynecologist that ordered the bone density test gave me a referral to see an endocrinologist and get some blood work done. We are testing to see about calcium, vitamin d and parathyroid before I get put any kind of medication. I am not really sure what the endocrinologist does but pretty sure it has something to do with osteoporosis.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.
Cheryl

Update

Friday I am off to the Creative Healing Retreat for Breast Cancer Survivors in Morro Bay, looking forward to meeting new friends and relaxing. There will be drumming, yoga, walks, eating and creative collages. I've come a long way on my journey but know there is more work to be done.

Found out a couple of weeks ago that I have osteoporosis in my left hip....genetic and from chemotherapy. The oncologist is recommending medication to slow the bone loss, I just have decided what kind I want. There is a daily, weekly or monthly pill or an annual iv infusion. From what I've read there are some rare, but serious side effects that have to do with your jaw. I have an email out to my dentist for some advise, just waiting to hear back.

I plan on continuing with water aerobics but will have to add in weight bearing exercise five days a week for 30 minutes each. On top of the extra exercise, I am supposed to add more vitamin d and calcium to my diet. Heading to Staff of Life on Friday more for a new round of vitamins and supplements.

The family is going to have a kind of odd Thanksgiving this year. Suzanne and I are heading to Oregon with one of the boys, Dave and the other will be at his family's house and Eddy is going to the Mojave for dirt bike riding. Grandpa Toci moved to Grants Pass, which makes it much easier to visit everyone at the same time.

Nothing much else going on other than work. Business is improving but we are still fighting our way out of the whole and now we are heading into the slow time of year for the painting industry. The spray booth should keep us working this winter....everyone cross your fingers.

Have a fabulous week!

One Year

I am one year out from chemo today!!! Finished chemo on 09/17/09. It was such a relief to be done with the poison (yes, I still think it is poison). I really, really thought I would have more hair by now....not sure what is going on but my suspicious is the Tamoxifen. One of the side effects, other than hot flashes, is thinning hair.

Wondering how I am feeling at the one year mark? A bit tired but that could be from the interrupted sleep because of hot flashes or the long, long work hours. September 24th is my follow up with the oncologist, which will be my chance to ask for blood work to make sure I am still okay (I am a little concerned because of the fatigue).

For those of you that haven't had cancer, it might be difficult for you to understand the enormous fear associated with each doctor visit but even more so for tests. No matter how hard you try to put the fear of recurrence from your mind, it does slowly creep back in when you least expect it. For example, I had a follow up mammogram on 9/8 because of a microcalcification found on my first mammo post-treatment (March 09). I really thought I was okay with the situation but the closer I came to my appointment the more wound up I became and bitchy I might add.

I try very, very hard not to think about a recurrence but the mind does funny things when you push your thoughts to the back corner....they seem to hit a wall and bounce back at you full in the face when you are not ready. Normal reaction post-cancer? I say yes since I know so many that experience the same.

Eddy and I are busy, busy, busy networking and marketing our business to make sure we have work for the winter. Twelve, fourteen or sixteen hour days are not unusual for us....I hope our efforts pay off in the end! Business will slow in late November but we have our fingers crossed the new spray booth will keep us working through the winter months.

I just received an email that made me so happy....I was accepted for a Creative Healing Retreat for Breast Cancer Survivors 10/9 to 10/11 in Morro Bay. The cost is $150.00 for the entire weekend so I better start saving now! I feel like jumping up and down I am so excited. Check out the retreat information: http://www.enhancementinc.org/creative_healing_retreat_info.htm

Time for a little more filing.
Cheryl